Latest Cubs Talk

Where the Cubs used to have to talk themselves into believing this might be the year — if this happens, if that happens, maybe we’ll surprise some people — now everyone is telling them how great they are.

There will be no escaping the hype when pitchers and catchers officially report on Friday in Arizona, with Mesa becoming a Cactus League hotspot for the national media and the TV networks trying to get a piece of a franchise desperate for its first World Series title since 1908.

FanGraphs projects the Cubs will be the best team in baseball and finish with a +122 run differential. The PECOTA system run through Baseball Prospectus predicts 92 victories and the Cubs winning their division by nine games.

Preseason power rankings for Sports Illustrated, Yahoo! Sports and ESPN all have the Cubs at No. 1. Websites like VegasInsider and OddsSharks that track sports books list the Cubs as the favorites to win the World Series.

Instead of resting on 97 wins, the Cubs responded with a full-throttle offseason, spending $272 million on outfielder Jason Heyward, second baseman Ben Zobrist and pitcher John Lackey, three All-Star level players who combined have been part of 28 playoff series.

“Last year is over with,” Anthony Rizzo said. “It’s time to gear up for 2016.

“Everyone knows what they need to do to be ready. And we have a really good group of guys that are accountable for everything.”

Rizzo knew it would go viral when he predicted the Cubs would win the division last year, changing the conversation and emerging as the leader/DJ in a relaxed clubhouse tricked out with disco lighting.

“I feel like we’re going to win the division,” Schwarber said. “We showed what we could do when we’re all in it for the common goal.

“Now we know what to expect. There’s probably going to be more targets on our back. We’re going to have to come with our A-game every game.”

As a third-place team that trailed the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates during the regular season — and got swept out of the National League Championship Series by the New York Mets — the Cubs have unfinished business.

“Any time you don’t win a World Series, I don’t think you accomplish your goal,” Bryant said. “We’re playing this game to win a World Series, especially for the Chicago Cubs. Fans (want) that. And this year, we’re in a good position for it.”

Jake Arrieta gave this team a killer instinct and will front the rotation after his Cy Young Award season. Combined, Lackey and Jon Lester have won four World Series rings and thrown more than 4,500 innings in The Show. Joe Maddon — a three-time Manager of the Year — will be at the controls of a deep and versatile bullpen.

“I love expectations,” said Lester, who thought 2016 would be the all-in year when he signed a $155 million contract after the 2014 season. “You got to back up what you did the year before. It’s something I’ve always tried to take pride in — go out and worry about doing your job.

“That trickles down to everybody. All these young guys have good heads on their shoulders, and they all work hard. They all get it. They understand the game. It’s going to be an exciting year for us.”

It’s not going to be an in-between year for the Cubs. By the end, there will be either pure joy in Wrigleyville or October agony.

“There’s no doubt every player who had to watch the Mets celebrate on the field is extraordinarily hungry to win eight more games in October than we did last year,” team president Theo Epstein said.

“We’re unified by that common goal. It’s the most important thing in the lives of a lot of people — fans, players, front office alike. And we’re out to reach our goals this year and make a lot of people happy, knowing that there’s going to be a lot of ups and downs along the way.”

Latest Cubs Talk

Despite the MLB trade deadline being two months away, rumors of the Cubs potentially acquiring Orioles' shortstop Manny Machado have intensifed recently. Regardless, Cubs president Theo Epstein made his point on the rumor frenzy quite clear Thursday.

Machado is having an unbelievable season with the Orioles, hitting .328 with 15 home runs and 43 RBIs entering Thursday. If traded, he would undoubtedly provide a boost to any ballclub, but that is a big "if."

Of course, the MLB season is not even two months old yet, which Epstein pointed out as being a big factor in the situation.

"It's May," he said. "We're still figuring out who we are as a team this year. We're still figuring out our place in the division.

"There's an atypical amount of trade discussion in May this year, which is essentially nil."

Rumors of the Cubs being a potential player in acquiring Machado make sense. At 15-34, the Orioles have the worst winning percentage (.306) in the MLB. With their current positioning, trading Machado could start a rebuild that the Orioles might just need. The Cubs have a 24-year-old shortstop in Addison Russell that the Orioles could acquire to a) replace Machado and b) use as the face of their rebuild.

Be that as it may, Epstein said the rumors are something that the Cubs are "just rolling our eyes at."

"I understand it's natural for people to connect the dots and there to be this kind of frenzy from time to time, but it's honestly something we're looking at and just rolling our eyes at," he said. "It's not like July, where every now and then there's lots of coverage on deals that are actually being discussed or actually might happen.

Latest Cubs Talk

Albert Almora Jr. joins Kelly Crull on the Cubs Talk Podcast to weigh in on a variety of topics, including his budding bromance with rumored Cubs target Manny Machado, his expanded role and how he spends his time off away from the ballpark.

Plus, Almora has a surprise pick for the organization’s unsung hero, stating the Cubs would’ve never won the World Series without this guy.